The 1st Generation Family
by SpringRiverImagination
Summary: This is the story of how the Primo's famiglia came to be and how his generation met it's tragic end unkowingly passing on its sins to the generations to come. Many scenes are taken from akira amana's Katekyo Hitman Reborn manga in order to keep the main plot but I add many details and scenes to fill in the many gaps left by it. Currently on hiatus for other projects.
1. Prologue: The Meeting

The Full Story of the 1st Generation Vongola

Prologue: The Meeting

The sun was setting over the city of Cerignola, Italy, casting an orange glow over the roves of the houses there. The city streets were still damp from a noon rain that had passed quickly on to the east. There were not many souls about as the bustle of the day died down and the people returned to their houses so no one took notice as two young teens slipped into a small house in a rundown area of the city.

It was there that one of the two teens pleasantly conversed with the owner of the property.

The man who lived there had a family that consisted of his wife four children, and him. The man, whose name was Paolo, had known the two for some time and was not surprised by their visit, He had no way of knowing that the two teens were very aware of his hard circumstances. Paolo had been struggling to make ends meet and provide for his moderately sized family for a good while now, though he wished it to be kept a secret from other folks of the city. His pride would not allow for any acts of charity.

"If you wouldn't mind, Paolo." The shorter of the two addressed Paolo his voice low and kind, "We would like to borrow a few tools from your shed…for a project the two of us are working on."

"You should know by now that you don't have to ask." Paolo shook his head and waved them towards the door, "Just take what you need! I hardly go out to work in the shed these days anyhow." As they walked out the door they both heard him address his wife,

"Seems there are lots of young kids with projects these days. It was not even five minutes ago that the boy from the east side of the city came by to borrow some tools to."

"Really?" His wife responded sounding surprised, "I haven't seen him in some time, I was under the impression he had moved away." Just as she had finished speaking both of the teens noticed a red haired boy wearing a flat cap, walking off down the road. Disregarding the presence of the boy the two continued on into Paolo's shed.

Once inside the small structure, the taller of the two revealed a brown package that he had been concealing under the jacket he kept over his arm. He walked over to a work bench that stood to one side and placed the package down on it.

The shed was full of wood pieces of all shapes and sizes and the walls were lined with old craftsman tools, some of which had collected a small amount of rust over the years. The shorter of the two teens noticed the hand-sized, oilskin pouch on the floor of the shed. Having visited Paolo's shed before; he could tell immediately that it did not belong there. He leaned over and picked up the pouch to examine it. Pulling one of the beaded strings at the top of the pouch to open it he spilled the contents of it onto his hand.

He was shocked when a considerable amount of paper bills fell into his waiting hand. Now he was certain that this did not belong here. This kind of money could help feed Paolo's children for a month without a doubt.

Remembering the red haired boy that had been walking off down the street and the comment Paolo had made to his wife, he quickly deduced the owner of the money. It had to be him.

"It appears as if the boy who came for Paolo's tools before us dropped his wallet." He said addressing his companion.

"How reckless." His friend replied bluntly, his tone not at all bitter.

"We should return it to him." As he spoke he packed the money back into the pouch, "After all, losing this much money could be devastating." Images of Paolo and his family flashed through his mind.

"I doubt many people have that much money to lose in the first place." His friend spoke again in his blunt and truthful manner.

"All the more reason to return it to him." He insisted heading for the door to the shed.

"Hey! You with the red hair!" The shorter of the two teens called to the boy walking down the street ahead of them.

"Huh?" The boy turned around to face them seeming confused.

"We found your wallet in Paolo's shed." The shorter teen explained as they caught up. He held out the oilskin pouch to the other boy.

The boy sighed in recognition and rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah…That's too bad…" He looked at the two confused faces in front of him and continued, "You see, I dropped my wallet on purpose…I just couldn't stand by and watch Paolo and his family starve to death."

The shorter took on a slightly guilty look, but his eyes showed a definite spark of amusement, "I see. I apologize for that, but you won't need to be worried about Paolo and his family." His face broke into a small smile, "We dropped the food we bought this morning in Paolo's shed as well."

After a short pause to let it sink in the other boy broke out laughing, "You did?" The shorter laughed as well and nodded.

When their laughter had died away the boy shook his head, "How can I be so rude." He held out his hand, "My name is Shimon Cozato. I'm here on vacation with my aunt."

"My name is Giotto." He said and pointed over his shoulder at his companion, "And this is my good friend G."

The two shook hands neither knowing that the very moment they were in would be the moment that triggered the start of something that would take them farther than they had ever wanted to go. By the time they _would_ realized, it would be too late to turn back.


	2. Chapter One: The Two Companions

Chapter One: The Two Companions

_Six Months Later_

Giotto woke in a cold sweat. He couldn't remember what the dream had been about, but he knew it had been something horrific.

He looked around his small room that was located above a corner store on the streets of Cerignola. He and G. had lived there for some time, working in the store bellow in exchange for the two rooms that had previously been vacant, and food.

Before coming to the store Giotto had lived in his Grandfather's mansion at the north end of the city. He had been happy there. Then tragedy had struck one stormy evening when two of his Grandfather's maids had found him dead in his room.

As if that devastation wasn't enough, Giotto was informed that his Grandfather had owed a substantial amount of money to the city as well as having countless other debts.

He had gotten away from the mess of debts and greedy men with much of his Grandfather's fortune still intact, but the grief stricken thirteen year old cared very little about money unless it was helping others. He had sold the mansion and left his old life behind. Any other person his age wouldn't have known where to go, or what to do.

Well Giotto wasn't like any other person his age.

He has his friend G. He had experience in all sorts of environments. He could get by perfectly fine without a mansion and maids. And as for his Grandfather's death…he tried to ignore the pain that still bubbled inside of him, tried forget the scars that losing his only blood family had left.

Looking over at the small window in his room he saw that the sun was just barley coming over the horizon. He sighed and wiped his damp forehead with the back of his sleeve. Morning meant another day, and he would taint a new day with yesterday's pain.

All was silent as he dressed himself and prepared to open the store, not a sound emerged from the room beside his though he guessed that G. was already up. His friend always rose with the day; he was never one to sleep in.

G. didn't have much of a family history as Giotto did. He had been an orphan his entire life, and couldn't remember a time when he didn't know Giotto and his Grandfather, as far as he knew he had always lived in the mansion with them.

G. was a generally calm person who gave his opinion bluntly giving off the impression of being bitter towards others. He was mostly silent though his temper did have a tendency of occasionally getting the better of him. It was defiantly a contrast for Giotto's kinder more soft personality.

Giotto opened the door to his room and slipped out into the hall, careful not to make a sound so that he would not wake the owner's four year old daughter. He walked noiselessly down the stairs and into the back room of the store. He wasn't at all surprised when he saw G. already there making the morning preparations to open the store.

He made his way to the front of the store where he flipped the "Closed" sign around so that potential customers knew that they were open. As soon as he had done that he went behind the counter and sat in the chair that stood there to wait for the morning customers.

"Nightmare again huh." G. murmured as he took inventory.

"Yes." Giotto answered honestly. Nothing escaped G.'s eyes, and he saw no point in hiding anything from his friend.

"And you still don't remember what it was about?" G. glanced back at him, his red eyes gleaming strangely.

"No, it's that same as before." He responded noticing that the burn scar under the tattoo on the right side of G.'s face was unusually visible this morning.

Just then the store door opened bringing with it a gust of fresh morning air. Both G. and Giotto turned to the newcomer each a little surprised a customer had come so quickly after opening as it usually took at least fifteen if not thirty minutes pick up. Despite their surprise, neither was expecting to see the person who stood at the door.

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_**I will be updating later this** **week. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but please be patient.**_


	3. Chapter Two: The Three Friends

Chapter Two: The Three Friends

It had been almost seven months since Giotto and G. had met Shimon Cozato that evening to return his wallet, neither had thought that they would ever see the redheaded-flat-cap-wearing boy again.

They had been wrong.

Shimon stood just inside the store door, out of breath and grinning from ear to ear. He stepped further into the store and let the door swing shut behind him; he seemed to give off an air of happiness that was infectious to any who saw him.

"Shimon?" Giotto interrupted the boy, who seemed lost in his own thoughts, a small smile creeping its way onto his lips.

Shimon appeared startled by the sudden voice and glanced quickly around until his eyes rested on the two friends at the head of the room. Recognition sparked in his eyes almost immediately; after all there were only so many orange haired people with intimidating companions. "Hey!" He exclaimed showing his excitement, "It's Giotto! And G!" He crossed the room to stand in front of the counter still slightly out of breath and a smile still plastered to his face.

"What happened to you?" Giotto asked indicating his breathless state.

"Me?" Shimon immediately took on a sheepish look, "Well nothing _happened_ per say…" He scratched his cheek and cleared his throat, "I was just kind of enjoying the morning you see-"

This prompted a short amused laugh from G. who had returned to checking inventory.

"-and I was already half way to the store anyway so I just thought I'd run the rest of the way." Shimon finished his sentence with a quick glance in G.'s direction.

"Well that explains that I suppose." Giotto smiled, "But what are you doing in Cerignola? I thought you said that you were just visiting your aunt when we met."

Shimon Cozato's happy smile was quickly diminished at the mention of his aunt; instead his smile was replaced by a sad distant look. "My aunt became ill suddenly last month and my Mother and I have come to try and nurse her through it." His revelation instantly changed the atmosphere in the room to a dim sad one. G. looked over from his work at Shimon as if he was going to offer a word of comfort, but he stayed silent.

"I'm very sorry to hear that Shimon." Giotto said his face conveying his concern, "But I'm sure she will overcome her sickness."

"Thank you." Shimon let a small smile come back to his face.

The stairs in the back creaked as the owner descended to investigate the commotion in his shop. When he emerged from the back his face showed his alarm at the sudden entry that the young Cozato had made.

"Is everything alright down here?" He asked tensely, addressing Giotto and eyeing Shimon.

"I'm sorry if I was too loud Sir." Shimon apologized before Giotto or G. could respond, "I didn't mean to alarm anyone."

Martin sighed and shook his head, "No, no, it was my fault. I suppose I'm just on edge from everything that's been happening around here."

Confused, Shimon looked from Martin to Giotto searching for the answer to a question he had yet to say aloud. Giotto frowned and looked at Martin who avoided both of their eyes. When neither gave him the answer he sought he looked at G. But as he had expected, G. did not respond to his questioning gaze. He was about to open his mouth to ask the question when Martin spoke, "Over the last few months the city has gotten extremely dangerous for both business owners and regular citizens alike." He cleared his throat and looked over at the closed door, almost as if he were afraid someone would overhear, "Due to this being one Italy's smaller cities it has become a target for some…unruly people." He nervously rubbed his wrist, "I've already heard that a few shops on the west side of the city were broken into. I was told that these…criminals, threatened to kill the owners of those shops if they didn't hand over forty percent of their daily income every week. As you kids may well know, in times like these that kind of money can mean the difference between life and starvation."

"The threats have gotten to the people." G. spoke up surprising Shimon, "Some of them are staying home, they don't want what's happening to the shop owners to happen to them."

"And they are wise to think that way." Giotto said looking at his friend.

Then, followed by the sound of light creaks as she descended the old staircase, Martin's four year old daughter Katlin entered the front room. Her pink nightdress was wrinkled, and her brown hair was spiking up, she was rubbing the sleep from her bright green eyes, "Daddy?" She murmured groggily, "Is breakfast ready?" Before her Father could turn and answer her she spotted G. standing just behind her. The little girl's green eyes lit up with happiness.

Since Giotto and G. had come to live at Martin's store the small child had taken an uncanny liking to the more silent member of the duo. She took more joy from spending a day watching G. work than she did from playing with her dolls and friends combined.

"G.!" She looked up at the redhead with a smile on her face, "Whatcha doing?"

"Inventory, Katlin." He said, speaking more softly that usual.

The girl yawned, her grin somehow never leaving her face, "Well have _you_ eaten breakfast yet?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Oh…." Katlin looked at her Father, "Is it ready, yet Daddy? Breakfast?" Smiling her father lifted her into his arms and walked towards the stairs,

"No, but we'll have it done in a few minutes." Her Father kissed her head. Only when the two had made their way back up the stairs and the small girl was out of earshot did Shimon speak again.

"Is all that true?" He looked at Giotto worry showing clearly in his eyes.

He was answered by a simple nod and a helpless look. After all what could two-no three-teenagers possibly do to stop a gang of criminals?

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**_Next chapter will be later this week! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always please feel free to leave a review to tell me how i've done, i love to hear your opinions!_**


	4. Chapter Three: The Old Merchant

Chapter Three: The Old Merchant

_Two Week Later_

The sun was setting once more over the city of Cerignola, the last remaining light casting strange shadows over the town. It was an eerie evening, with all but three teens safely in their houses for the night.

There was a good reason for the ghost town feeling that filled the city that evening.

The attacks from the outlaws had gotten worse during the previous two weeks, and as a result the victims had begun to lose more money than they could afford and though not many had gotten to the point of homelessness, there were several families now on the streets. Those who had not yet been targeted had become both paranoid and frantic to protect their shop, home, and family. With the city officials keeping out of it, the fear that hung like a storm cloud above the people could not be driven back.

On top of all the tension that had begun to build up, there was not a single household that had not heard the news. There had been a fire in the city of Cerignola…a fire that had burned down the houses of six innocent families…a fire that had been lit purposefully.

Giotto, G., and Cozato walked through the streets of the city all having just returned from a visit with Paolo's family, and the grim looks on their faces told the story of what they had seen when they had gone there.

They had found nothing left of his house, but a foundation and a pile of ash. It had been one of the six houses burned in the fire that morning, and though all the inhabitants of those houses had escaped the fire, they had all been cast out onto the streets with barley a cent to their name.

Each one of the three, while relived that no one had been killed, were angered in some way by the bold actions of the outlaws. Not one of them spoke as they opened the door to Martin's shop and let themselves in.

Martin was there, cleaning up to close for the night, but he wasn't the only one present. His small daughter sat fast asleep in the chair behind the counter, her dirty-white stuffed rabbit clutched in her arms. She stirred when they walked in, but her small green eyes did not open.

"How was it down there?" Martin whispered to them his voice slightly fearful.

"All the families escaped the fire and the outlaws haven't come back to finish the job." Cozato whispered back the good news to him.

"But it's only a matter of time before they do." G. added much to Cozato's annoyance.

"Try and be a little positive here G." Cozato scolded his fellow redhead.

"I was simply being truthful." G. responded.

"Both of them are correct." Giotto sighed, "The families are safe only for now. Who knows what the outlaws will try next?"

"Martin."

The four of them looked towards the backroom staircase where Martin's wife Maria stood. With her long dark brown hair and light green eyes it was easy to see who their daughter took after more.

"Glad to see you're all back safely boys." She managed a smile at Cozato, "How's your aunt dear? I heard she was getting better."

"She is thank you." Cozato returned her smile before turning towards the door, "Speaking of my aunt, I really should be heading back." With a few short 'goodbyes' Cozato was out the door of the shop and heading back to his aunts large house on the east side of the city.

"Now boys." Maria said to Giotto and G. when Cozato had gone, "Hurry up and close the shop for the night, then you can come up and have some of the desert that I made while you were gone." She patted her apron and started walking back up the stairs, then she glanced back down at her husband, "And I hope you don't intend to let our poor daughter sleep in that chair all night."

"Of course not, she just wanted to stay there into Giotto and G. got back." Martin defended.

"Well they're back; now get her up to her own bed." Maria continued up the stairs, not waiting for any response. With a slightly exasperated sigh Martin handed Giotto the broom that had been in his hand and went to pick up his sleeping daughter.

As the two began to lock up the shop for the night, Martin headed for the stairs with his daughter in his arms. Before he could take one step into the back room to go up the stairs Katlin opened her sleepy green eyes and looked at the two of them. She whispered just loud enough for them to hear before she went back to her sleep,

"Good Night…"

"Thank you! Be sure to come back!" Katlin squeaked to the customer.

After yesterdays fire the morning rush at Martin's shop was a little slow, but it seemed that the trickling stream of customers that came through the door was quite enough for the two friend's little four year old helper. She sat in G.'s lap behind the counter helping him while he took his turn at the register. As the last customers currently in the store let the door glide closed behind them Katlin lifted her two little arms into the air.

"Let me down!" She commanded her little eyes not satisfied until G. had placed her on the floor. She dashed over to Giotto and tugged on his sleeve until he put down what he had been doing and leaned over, "Are you going outside again later?" She asked her voice excited, "If you do can I come to?" She looked towards the backroom door as if to see if her parents were listening in, "'Cause I'm bored. My friends don't come to play anymore and Daddy and Mommy are always too busy to take me out."

"I'm not so sure little one." Giotto shook his head, "It would be safer if you stayed inside."

She put one hand on her hands on her hips, "But I _want_ to go outside. If you and G. can go outside and come back, then why can't you take me with you? Wouldn't it be safe with you?"

Giotto patted her head, "Even if I wanted to take you, you're parents would have to say yes as well."

"Mommy!" Katlin ran for the staircase.

"Don't encourage her Giotto." G. protested his voice almost a whisper in case the girl was listening, "Her parents would never—"

"G.! G.!" Katlin came leaping back into the room, 'Mommy said I could! She did!" Giotto looked over at G. holding back a smile.

G. shook his head disapprovingly, but he had no time to protest as the door to the store swung open and Cozato stepped through the frame with a smile of greeting. Katlin squealed with excitement knowing that Cozato's arrival meant that she would go outside soon. She quickly scampered up the stairs to retrieve her shoes.

"What's got her so excited this morning?" Cozato asked looking confused. This prompted a laugh from Giotto and an exasperated sigh from G.

Due to the extra pair of eyes they had received Giotto and Cozato had changed their plans of going to see Paolo and instead took the young girl to the trade market at the center square of the city. Half way there the girl had gotten tired of walking and had insisted that G. pick her up. So now they were walking through the smaller-than-usual crowd with a wide-eyed- four year old on G.'s shoulders.

"Oh! Oh!' Look!" Katlin pointed in amazement at the flower filled tent at the center of the square. The tent had such an array of flowers from all the corners of the world one might be led to wonder if they were all real. "G. can I have one? Can I? Please?" The girl pleaded tugging at some of his hair as if he weren't listening to her.

"You can have _one_, as long as you stop pulling out my hair every time you see something that excites you." G. answered his voice strict, yet still surprisingly patient.

"I think I'll get some for my aunt as well." Cozato said to Giotto following the loud pair towards the tent of flowers.

After several minuets Katlin had gotten herself a dark violet rose of the rarest kind and Cozato had gotten a banquet of yellow tulips, which he claimed were his aunt's favorite. When they had picked their flowers they turned to the man standing behind a desk full of flowers in vases. His hair was a typical black and his eyes were brown. His lips were turned up in the most cheerful smile one could imagine. When she laid eyes on him Katlin instantly giggled and shyly hid her face behind her hands.

"Well isn't that a mighty pretty little girl." The man said in a loud voice making Katlin blush, "A pretty girl with a good eye as well. That's a purple rose that you picked there. I had to travel clear across the country to get those, it was a hassle that's for sure." He laughed.

"Purple is my favorite color…" She whispered to him still hiding her face.

"Well I can see that young'un." He chuckled again as G. paid him for the flower. Then he looked twice at the amount that G. had given him and sighed, he carefully placed half of the money in a jar and the other half with the other money he had collected in his sales.

Cozato stepped up to pay for his boquet next. He eyed the money in the jar suspiciously and glanced back at Giotto who nodded a frown replacing his usual joyful half-smile.

"If I may sir." Cozato cleared his throat as he paid for the flowers, "Is there a reason why you're splitting up the money we paid you?"

The cheery look he had been wearing disappeared and was replaced with a more sullen expression, "I suppose you kid have heard then. Who hasn't I suppose." He ran his fingers through his black hair before placing a hat over it, "It's those accursed thieves, or outlaws as the people call them. They are forcing me to pay them half of what I earn each day."

"Half?!" Cozato exclaimed shocked.

"'Fraid so boy." The man shook his head and sighed, "These flowers sell well anyhow. So I suppose I can get by."

"What's your name Mister?" Katlin asked suddenly. Her face was still slightly flushed, but she seemed determined to know the name of the nice flower merchant.

His face broke into a large smile, "The names Franco, little one. And I'm the best merchant you'll ever come across."


	5. Chapter Four: The Cerignola Outlaws

_**Thank you all for your patience and support! Now please enjoy the story!**_

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Chapter Four: The Cerignola Outlaws

In the course of the next few days, the trio made regular trips with the four year old girl to visit the old flower merchant in the city square. Each visit she bought a flower of some rare caliber until she had practically spent all of G.'s money. With her flowers she decorated her father's shop until it was brimming with bright and beautifully colored delicate plants of all kinds. She was determined to take care of all of the flowers by herself even though she was so young. The only help she had accepted was that of G. and Cozato who both seemed to have experience in plant care.

It was a morning much like any other; customers were coming and going at a leisurely pace, none of them in the mood to rush about on such a fresh morning.

Cozato had come by early to take his turn watering the flowers with Katlin while G. ran an errand for Maria. He and Katlin were crouched over one particularly 'dry' flower by the door to the shop when Maria walked into the front room.

The owner's wife was wearing a thick green apron over her regular cloths, her dark hair was tied back into a braid, and she wielded a wooden spoon in one hand.

"Is that boy back yet?" She demanded then rushed on without pausing for an answer, "I told him to get it as fast as he could! Not dawdle in the market forever!"

"I'm sure G. is going as fast as he can ma'am." Cozato assured her.

"Cozato is right Maria." Giotto agreed, "He must have a reason for taking so long."

Maria sighed impatiently, "Yes, yes you're right of course, but I still think he could move a little faster." She bit at the end of the spoon in her hand.

"What are you making Mommy?" Katlin looked up curiously from gently pouring water on her flower.

"Oh." Maria looked at the spoon she had been biting, "I was making the raspberry tarts your father loved so much, but I was missing the most important ingredient. The raspberries!" She slapped her forehead and turned, muttering under her breath, to the stairs. Then she stopped short with one foot on the staircase, "By the way Giotto. Be careful when you go to visit that flower merchant today. I've been hearing rumors that the outlaws are getting more daring of late."

She continued up the stairs as soon as Giotto nodded.

The three of them stayed in the front room alone for another fifteen minutes uninterrupted, Cozato and Katlin moving from plant to plant while Giotto read a poetry book he had gotten himself in the market on one of their trips. They were all enjoying the silence and lazy business morning when the door to the shop opened rather abruptly making Giotto glance up from his book and the other two to pause in their garden work.

G. was standing there. Nothing seemed out of place about the scene at first glance, it was the usual G. calm and serious faced. His arm was cradling a package of the goods Maria had ordered and all would have seemed well (Though maybe a little belated) if not for the strange look in G.'s eyes and- more alarmingly-the blood on one side of his face.

"G.!" Cozato exclaimed his mouth dropping open.

"What happened?" Giotto stood up from his chair, abandoning his book.

"They were in the market this morning…collecting." G. explained simply as he stepped into the shop and closed the door behind him.

"But I thought they only came for their money at night! Those people will have nothing to give this early in the morning! Don't they know that?" Cozato protested.

"They do know it Cozato." Giotto sighed disturbed by the grim news, "I doubt it's as much about the money now as it is about terrorizing the people."

I sullen atmosphere fell over the front room. No one spoke, but instead began to think about the terrors that were beginning to befall their once peaceful city.

"Are you…hurt?" Katlin asked timidly, her voice quavering as it broke the silence.

"Yes you still haven't explained the blood." Giotto agreed looking at the young girl, concern shining in his eyes. The girl should not have to live through such fearful times.

"Oh this…" G. reached up and touched the red liquid on his cheek, "One merchant...the one selling the raspberries…was not able to make the payment…"

The little girl gasped, "Did they kill her?!"

G. looked down at her. The look in his eyes answered her question and though she was not yet old enough to see it Giotto and Cozato instantly knew that the poor old woman who had been selling fruits in the market place since before they were born, would never again sell other apple with a bright smile on her face. Giotto closed his eyes against the mist that clouded them and Cozato turned away.

G. kneeled in front of the girl and patted her head, "Oh, you know her Katlin. She's a tough old lady, they could never kill her."

"In fact." A woman's voice interrupted.

All four of them turned to see Maria standing at the foot of the stairs. She had a gentle smile on her face and she waved for Katlin to come over to her.

When the little girl stood before her she whispered, "I think she's here right now."

"Really?" Katlin looked around excited, "Where?"

"Inside of you sweetheart. Inside of you."

It was late evening when it happened. The sun was low in the sky and it had already begun casting its orange glow. G. was behind the counter staring distantly at the door of the shop, as if he were seeing though it instead of at it. In his lap slept Katlin who had refused to leave his side since his dramatic return. Cozato had many times gotten up to go home, but each time his eyes had drifted to G. and he had dropped back onto the box he had been sitting on as if he might miss something important if he left to early. Giotto stood in the back room taking inventory in G.'s place. Both friends were concerned that more had happened in the market place than G. had cared to tell them, but neither wished to say it aloud. They had silently agreed that they would let G. decide when to say it.

The three had no way of knowing it would happen, though many times after they wondered if they should have expected it, prepared for it.

The door slammed open with such a force it rattled the entire frame and practically burst off its hinges. There were five of them, and they came through the door as if they owned the shop, their arrogance showed plainly on each of their scruffy faces. Loaded guns were in the hands of each one of them, they had come for one reason and one reason only.

Scared out of her nap Katlin squealed and clung to G. her sleepy green eyes were wide with fright as she took in the sight of the intruders.

"Well good morning there little darling." One of them smiled at her, "We've just come to have at a little business endeavor with the owner of this store."

"Y-You can't!" She cried only to be shushed by G.

"We can't?" The man exclaimed sarcastically, "And why not?"

Before the man could insist, both Martin and Maria entered the front room their faces masks of dread.

"Can we help you?" Martin asked firmly stepping between the man and his daughter.

"Now, now I wasn't doing any harm. Just asking your charming daughter here a question."

"Well I would appreciate it if you would direct all of your questions at me, and not my daughter." Martin's voice clearly displayed it disgust.

The man shook his head and stepped back, "Very well, but I doubt there is much to discuss."

"Yeah don't tell me you don't know how this goes!" Another pointed out, "We've done it to countless others!"

"No, in fact I don't know how it goes." Martin challenged boldly earning looks of alarm from Cozato and Giotto. It was unwise to be so bold with these criminals.

The first man laughed and pointed his gun at Martin's chest, "Have it your way. Men read him his 'rights'"

"From here on in." One of the other five declared,

"This shop and all of its goods and inhabitants are now the property of the Cerignola Outlaws."


	6. Chapter Five: The Unforeseen Disasters

_**Alright guys here's the next chapter! I would mention my thoughts on this chapter, but that would be a spoiler! So thanks for your continued support, now enjoy!**_

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Chapter Five: The Unforeseen Disasters

_Three Weeks Later_

The five men came every day after that, sometimes in early in the morning sometimes late at night. When they felt the time right, they came. Bursting into the shop as if it was them who owned the place and not the man they stole from.

Spirits were low in the shop now, and they seemed to sink farther with each passing day. Even Katlin was quiet during the long store days; she walked about silently assisting in any way she was allowed to. Though they said nothing all three of the friends could see the fear in her large childish eyes and nothing saddened them more.

They weren't the only people in the city to feel this way.

No, it seemed as the entirety of the populace were all crying out in one voice, all begging to be free of the thorn peaked vines that bound them. Indeed by that time it felt as if the city itself was calling out in anguish. For the once beautiful and pleasantly populated city had begun to fall to a type of inward ruin. People driven from their houses, merchants murdered in cold blood. All of it, the pandemonium of fear and the ash filled air from the burned houses; it had all been to satisfy the insatiable greed of a band of criminals.

Truly the people had never fallen lower.

Yet still there remained to be one whose heart had fallen deeper into the vast void that was sadness than any other. His love for the people and his love of impartiality had made him care so deeply for the city that he felt as if his heart had taken on the emotion of all of the people around him.

Giotto stood by the window in his room, moonlight pooling on the floor he stood on. His breath came out in a puff of white plainly showing the season that the frost covered streets implied.

He had been staring out at the sleeping city for some time, thoughts churning in his mind. Sleep seemed impossible and he didn't even try to think about it.

The truth was he didn't want to think of anything else either. The news of so many deaths affected him greatly, it hadn't just been the old woman selling her fruits, no all to soon the death toll had taken Paolo and family as well. Their deaths had come as shock to Giotto who had thought Paolo out of danger once he had nothing left to pay.

But that had meant nothing to the outlaws. Just as the taking of a child's life would not disturb their sleep in the slightest.

Placing his elbow on the frame of the window Giotto lifted a cool hand to his burning forehead. It wasn't like him to indulge such dark thoughts; truly just thinking about a bad situation never helped anyone get out of it.

The sound of a hand on his doorknob and the soft creak of his door opening made him look over his shoulder to see who was up this late at night.

The short blanket covered girl had been the last thing he expected to see.

Katlin, her eyes wide and her hair a mess, was covered in her favorite pink blanket and had her worn old rabbit puppet under one arm. She tiptoed into the room towards him.

"Katlin?" He whispered turning from the window, "What are you doing awake?"

"I had a nightmare…" She told him her voice low and trembling.

As he approached her small form he couldn't help but wonder why the little girl had not gone to her parents, or even to G. Prior to this the girl had never shown any sign of liking him in any special form of relationship at least not the way she showed affection to G.

She had gotten halfway across the floor to him when she banked right and crawled onto his bed, curling up amid his disorderly sheets. Her green eyes were still wide as if she was fighting the drowsiness that someone of her age must feel this late at night.

Giotto sat on the bed beside her. He could tell that she was waiting for him to say something, to comfort her. Slowly his mind shaped the words to say.

"I had nightmares a lot to you know." He whispered softly to her, "When I first came to life here I had the same one every night for a long while."

"What was it about?" She looked up at him, her voice trembling only slightly.

"Well." Giotto looked back at the full moon outside his window, "It was about a winter night, a lot like this one." He stared intently out the window unwilling to look at the girl as he told the story, "It always started out the same, with me walking down a street that seemed to have no end. In the dream I was always searching for something, something I knew was really important, but I could never find it no matter how hard I looked."

"Then after awhile I would always see this…this…_figure _up ahead of me. I wanted to reach it, but I would never get any closer. Then—" Giotto cut himself off, unsure if he should tell the young girl about the next scene. He didn't want to scare her by saying the figure had died, and he certainly didn't want to tell her how.

"Then what?" She asked her voice no longer showing any hint of fear.

"…I would always wake up soon after that." He answered somewhat honestly.

"What did it mean?" Her curiosity was not at all imperceptible.

He looked down at her sadly, "It's simple really." He assured her, "Before I came here I lived with my Grandfather. Everyone thought he was a great man, always kind, always generous. I was no different, in fact he was such a strong man I thought he would never die." He patted her head gently, "But I soon realized that everything dies someday. No matter how much you want it to stay. That's just the way of life."

Giotto would never realize the irony of those words, how fitting they were to say on that the bloodiest night he would ever experience.

His first sign was the light from beyond his window that caught his eye. Standing up he walked over to the window side and peered out into the city.

It started out as just a flicker of light coming from the city market square that could have been nothing more than a beam of moonlight reflecting on the fountain water.

But as he watched the flicker grew and stretched towards the sky until it became a roaring flame that could not be mistaken, for it was undeniably another fire this time in the city market place. As his mind wrapped around what the flame meant Giotto's tired thoughts final clicked on the simple fact he knew to be true.

There was only one merchant who visited his tent of merchandise this late at night.

Before he could think any further on the subject Giotto was flying towards the door.

"Stay here Katlin!" He called back to her as he pulled open his door (which had slowly drifted back after the Katlin had come in) to go into the hall. When he looked he found G.'s room already empty.

Afterwards he never could recall the dark trip from Martin's shop to the burning, but otherwise deserted square. Instead his memory skipped to the burning scene he witnesses when his eyes fell upon the square.

He approached slowly the familiar tent of flowers now a awning of fire many of the beautiful flowers that had once inhabited the tent had been either upturned to the square's stone tiles street, or burned so that only the black stalks remained.

A very miniature gathering stood just to the left of the tent. Precious few of the citizens had gathered the courage to emerge from their houses to see what had transpired those that had were obviously connected to the flower merchant in some way. Even some distance away Giotto could hear the cries of one of those gathered and he knew, he knew what was coming.

He closed the distance swiftly desperate to prove his horrible thought wrong.

"How's Franco?" The words were out before he could think twice.

G. looked up and turned to meet his gaze. He had his answer even before another familiar voice spoke up from the still old man's side.

"It's no good, the doctor I called never showed up."

Giotto looked down dimly surprised to see Shimon Cozato kneeling there. How his friend had arrived on the scene so quickly he couldn't comprehend, but Giotto was in no mood to question it.

"What happened?" The second question passed though his lips much the same as the first, unbidden.

"They came for their payment late." G. responded his voice showing no hint of emotion, "They demanded ninety percent instead of the sixty he was paying them."

"What he had wasn't enough." Cozato finished in a low tone.

Giotto had always been a kind person. He had never felt much more than a small amount of anger in his lifetime.

Well his lifetime had only been fourteen years and he now felt more rage than he ever thought he could bear. His hand collided with a wooden table that had once held the most beautiful flowers the country of Italy had to offer. Several cracks in the table legs proved just what kind of strength was behind the soft demeanor Giotto gave off.

"He didn't deserve this!" Giotto screamed out his voice echoing in the otherwise empty market place, the words resounded off the stone walls of the houses and the empty wooden stalls around him.

"The only other way…" Cozato murmured, barely audible, "The only other way to help the city, is to help them ourselves."

"What?" Giotto looked down at his friend trying not to let his eyes wander to the body that was beside him.

"No one else will help this place, no one else cares, Giotto." The words Cozato spoke were the very thoughts that had crossed Giotto's mind so many times the past few weeks, they were the words that had turned in his head and kept him awake so many nights. His speechlessness did not seem to effect Cozato and his friend spoke again, this time his tone softer—yet more sure of itself than Giotto had ever heard,

"No one cares, but us. And no one can help us do it but _you_." His friend's eyes shone in the fire light.

"What do you—"

"G.!" The small voice that squealed with something opposite of excitement erupted from the darkness behind him and he turned his head dumbfounded at the presence of it.

G.'s eyes widened with more emotion than he had shown in some time. He kneeled down and caught the running girl when she flew into him panting as if she had run for her life.

"Katlin!" G. exclaimed, "What's wrong?"

"Daddy and Mommy! It's Daddy and Mommy!" She shrieked through her tears and breathlessness, "Those men came back! T-They crushed some of my flowers G.!" As if the thought had just occurred to her at the mention of her beloved flowers Katlin tired to look around G. to look at the wreckage, but he carefully angled himself so that he blocked her view.

"Why are they back?" Cozato questioned climbing to his feet. There was no doubt he already knew the answer.

"They want more money! But Mommy already gave them their half at sunset! She can't pay, but their going to hurt her anyway" Katlin cried out, "It's not fair!"

Before the girl had finished Giotto had caught the second smell of smoke, and a feeling deep inside of him that he had not yet come to recognize told him once again what had happened.


	7. Chapter Six: When Things Change:Part One

_**Hey i'm here again guys! Here's the next chapter update i hope you huys enjoy it! So sorry for the wait! (got a lot going on...)Don't forget to leave me a review with your opinion, i'll try and awnser any of your questions if you have them. (Also i'm a little nervous about the silence on my last chapter seeing as it was an important sad chapter...hehe hope i didn't mess it up or anything though mabye i'm overreacting...)**_

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Chapter Six: When Things Change: Part One

_Two Month Later_

The north end of Cerignola was a beautiful place, all but untouched by the corrupt city leaders and the murderous outlaws. It had at one time been home to the richer end of society until the reign of terror that had affected the rest of the city got to it, now it was nothing more than a few streets with a ghostly atmosphere. With its lush greenery and large empty houses it was the perfect place for a few unwanted citizens to gather in secret.

A boy with a hat to cover his red hair hurried through the deserted streets of the north side. He seemed in a great rush though he paused every now and then to look over his shoulder and carefully gauge if there was anyone following him.

On his fifth time looking over his shoulder he caught a glimmer of movement out of the corner of his eye and dove swiftly and noiselessly around a street corner. He waited breathlessly to hear the footfalls on the wet streets telling him that he had been seen.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting and holding his breath, a small fuzzy white animal waltzed around the corner to rub against his ankles and purr.

"Bella." He sighed with relief as he knelt to pick up the kitten, "Don't scare me like that, girl." He scratched her forehead with his finger and smiled at her quiet meow, "Well I don't know how you got out of my room, let alone all the way out here, but we have to get back to the house."

So, tucking the white kitten into his jacket, he returned to the street and proceeded down it in the same cautious fashion as before.

—The Abandon Mansion—

Shimon Cozato arrived at the seemingly abandon mansion after around thirty additional minuets of walking and paused a final time to take in the site of their secret work.

Ever since the death of the flower merchant Franco and the shop owners Martin, and Maria the three friends had discarded their trouble-free hate of the outlaws and had instead taken on the roll of defenders, becoming a group of vigilantes rather than idle citizens.

Their work was simple—yet anything, but easy. They spent much of their time in the city, watching and waiting for opportunities to strike at the outlaws and to outwit even the smartest of them. And though it rarely ended in an actual physical fight, the friends were not unprepared for such outcomes and they stayed ready and alert at all times.

Their work had at first gone unnoticed; the outlaws had considered them no more than a few rebellious children, easily dealt with. Yet as the days turned into weeks and the strikes against them grew more serious the outlaws began their intent search for the offenders leaving no stone unturned. They searched even the north end though rumors of ghosts haunting the mansions there deterred the outlaws from getting very far.

Since they had no way of knowing how many stood against them the outlaws made up wild numbers of people against them and suspected most of the citizens of being in on it when in reality it was only three teenagers.

Well three teenagers, a little girl, and a white kitten. Cozato smiled down at the kitten whose head poked out of his jacket.

Then the smile dulled and disappeared from his face altogether.

It _**had**_ been three anyway, but after tomorrow it would just be two.

Cozato sighed and moved to the set of vines creeping up the side of the mansion and to an open window around three stories up.

When he pulled himself into the open window the last thing he expected to see sitting on a chair there was Katlin, yet there she was face forward staring straight at him a slightly goofy smile for an expression.

"Katty?" Cozato looked at the closed door to the room with more than a hint of surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"G. and Giotto are busy so…I decided to wait here for you to come back." She made an effort and gave him a small smile.

Katlin, the young daughter of Martin and Maria had been made both homeless and an orphan all on the same night only two months before.

She had come willingly with the three of them when they had gone to the north side and she now lived in the mansion. She had been given her own room and they had all taken extra care to play small games with her as often as possible. Only the girl had become rather withdrawn and kept to herself most of the while so the games were typically one sided, she had distanced herself even from her former hero G.

It had only gotten worse three and a half weeks ago when Katlin had seen her fifth birthday without her parents. As cheerful as they had tried to be, she had been buried in a deep sadness. This was her closest attempt at socialization with them in some time.

Cozato felt a sudden flare of guilt for the news that he had to break to his friends.

"Oh…is that Bella?" She lifted one small finger and pointed at the squirming white ball of fluff poking out of his jacket.

"Yeah." Cozato pulled the damp kitten out and placed her in Katlin's lap without warning. The girl didn't seem the least bit upset about this, she began to dry off the kitten with the corner of her shirt even humming as she did so.

"So what are Giotto and G. busy with?" Cozato asked walking towards the closed door.

"...Work…"

The way she breathed the word under her breath made Cozato pause. He knew what it meant of course, but it made him abruptly sad to think of her sitting here alone and wondering where they are and what they're doing.

A thought came to him as abruptly as the sadness.

He looked slowly at the five year old girl. She was sitting on the old chair facing the window, her once bright and curious green eyes now filled to the breaking point with sadness beyond her years. He knew what she needed, yet he couldn't help but wonder what the others would think of it.

He spoke softly to her as he turned to open the door, "Come on Katlin. I can get you something to eat when I feed Bella."

"Alright." She stood up stiffly and followed him into the hall beyond.

As he watched her his previous idea was reinforced by the simple thought, _"What a terrible place for such a young girl."_


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